Missing elderly man with Alzheimer's has been found, police say

A 75-year-old man who is suffering from Alzheimer's has been found safe after going missing for more than 2 days, police say.

The elderly man, identified as Casto Filazzola, went missing from the area of Dundas Street West and Crawford Street. He was spotted at 7:45 a.m. Sunday just north of Trinity Bellwoods park wearing attire that was not warm enough for the chilly weather.

His family held a news conference Tuesday morning pleading with the public to come forward with any sightings.

However, shortly afterwards, Ontario Provincial Police went to his family's former cottage in Midland and Filazzola was there.

Aside from being a bit dehydrated, he was fine, officials said.

His daughters, Rosanna and Anita Filazzola, told CP24 they were elated and relieved to hear their father is safe and guessed that the man hitchhiked to the cottage, since he didn't have any money on him.

The family doesn't own the cottage anymore, they said. It has been sold and there was no one at the property to let the man inside. They guessed that he was likely taking shelter on the covered porch. Filazzola built the family cottage and was very familiar with it.

"With Alzheimer's and dementia, they just regress," said Rosanna Filazzola. "He knew what he was doing."

Police had stepped up their search Monday for the man, deploying the mounted unit, marine patrol and neighbouring police services as the temperatures dipped to frigid temperatures.

Police believed that Filazzola hadn't had anything to eat since he went missing..

Filazzola's daughters said he requires daily medication and that he has never wandered away from his assisted care facility before.

"I am just happy he is alive and happy he is safe," Rosanna Filazzola said. "I had feared the worst.

Cathy Barrick, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, also appeared at the press conference Tuesday.

“People can travel far even though they’re old and frail, he may not be close to this area, he may have really gone far,” Barrick said.

She added that approximately 60 per cent of people with dementia wander away from their homes at least once.